The Senior Companion Program (SCP)

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Program level Payment Integrity results

Sponsoring agency: Corporation for National and Community Service

View on Federal Program Inventory

PROGRAM METRICS

$38 M

in FY 2021 outlays, with a

79.6%

payment accuracy rate

PROGRAM METRICS

$37 M

in FY 2022 outlays, with a

73.8%

payment accuracy rate

PROGRAM METRICS

$34 M

in FY 2023 outlays, with a

84.4%

payment accuracy rate

  • Improper payment estimates over time
    View as:

    Chart toggle amounts:
    Proper payments
    Overpayment
    Underpayment
    Technically improper
    Unknown

Payment Integrity results

  • FY 2021 improper payment estimates

    Chart legend and breakdown

    Payment accuracy rate

    Improper payment rate

    Unknown payment rate


    Sampling & estimation methodology details

    Sampling timeframe:

    04/2020 - 03/2021


    Confidence interval:

    >95%


    Margin of error:

    +/-3.39

Overpayments

Overpayment root cause Overpayment amount
Amount of overpayments within the agency's control $0.0 M

Overpayment root cause Overpayment amount
Amount of overpayments outside the agency's control $0.97 M
Amount of overpayments that occurred because the data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment does not exist $0.0 M
The amount of overpayments that occurred because of an inability to access the data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment $0.0 M
The amount of overpayments that occurred because of a failure to access data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment $0.97 M

Underpayments

Underpayment root cause Underpayment amount
Amount of underpayments $0.0 M

Technically improper payments

The amount of improper payments that were paid to the right recipient for the correct amount but were considered technically improper because of failure to follow statute or regulation $0.0 M

Additional information

$0.0 M

Unknown Payment Details

These payments are unknown because the documentation that is used to establish eligibility and correct payment amount was either not available during the assessment or was not made available until after the payment was made.

The amount of payments that could either be proper or improper but the agency is unable to determine whether they were proper or improper as a result of insufficient or lack of documentation is $6.86 M


Cause of insufficient or lack of documentation & why the documentation is needed for determination of payment type
Payment cause Amount Description of the documentation that was not provided and explanation of why the program is unable to conclude whether the payment is proper or improper without that documentation

Evaluation of corrective actions

The agency had reductions in improper payments from FY19 to FY20 due to agency-wide corrective action for its largest rate driver, NSCHC. The agency did see an increase in rates from FY20 to FY21. The agency's planned corrective actions are more aggressive and comprehensive than they have been in the past in order to prioritize the reduction of non-NSCHC improper payments and unknown payments. The accountable officials and those that own portions of the corrective action plan will now meet every other month to assess progress.

Future payment integrity outlook

The Senior Companion Program (SCP) has established a baseline.

Out-Year improper payment and unknown payment projections and target
Current year +1 estimated future outlays $38.36 M
Current year +1 estimated future improper payments $0.92 M
Current year +1 estimated future unknown payments $6.52 M
Current year +1 estimated future improper payment and unknown payment rate 19.4 %

The program's current year improper payment and unknown payment rate of 20.4 % has not been achieved with a balance of payment integrity risk and controls and does not represent the lowest rate that can be achieved without disproportionally increasing another risk, therefore it is not the tolerable rate.

AmeriCorps has the internal controls, human capital, information systems and other infrastructure to reduce its improper payments to the level the agency has targeted.

Additional programmatic information

  • FY 2022 improper payment estimates

    Chart legend and breakdown

    Payment accuracy rate

    Improper payment rate

    Unknown payment rate


    Sampling & estimation methodology details

    Sampling timeframe:

    04/2021 - 03/2022


    Confidence interval:

    95% to <100%


    Margin of error:

    +/-7.9

Overpayments

Overpayment root cause Overpayment amount
Amount of overpayments within the agency's control $0 M

Overpayment root cause Overpayment amount
Amount of overpayments outside the agency's control $1.44 M
Amount of overpayments that occurred because the data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment does not exist $0.0 M
The amount of overpayments that occurred because of an inability to access the data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment $0.0 M
The amount of overpayments that occurred because of a failure to access data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment $1.44 M

Underpayments

Underpayment root cause Underpayment amount
Amount of underpayments $0.07 M
The amount of underpayments that occurred because the data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment does not exist $0.0 M
The amount of underpayments that occurred because of an inability to access the data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment $0.0 M
The amount of underpayments that occurred because of a failure to access data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment $0.07 M

Technically improper payments

The amount of improper payments that were paid to the right recipient for the correct amount but were considered technically improper because of failure to follow statute or regulation $0.0 M

Additional information

$0.07 M

Unknown Payment Details

Payments are considered unknown when the grantees fail or are unable to provide complete files to determine if payments are proper or improper. This includes National Service Criminal History Check and timekeeping information. Without National Service Criminal History Check information provided, AmeriCorps is unable to properly determine if a person is eligible to serve or be employed by an AmeriCorps program. Without timekeeping information, AmeriCorps is unable to determine if the charges to the award are correct.

The amount of payments that could either be proper or improper but the agency is unable to determine whether they were proper or improper as a result of insufficient or lack of documentation is $8.28 M


Cause of insufficient or lack of documentation & why the documentation is needed for determination of payment type
Payment cause Amount Description of the documentation that was not provided and explanation of why the program is unable to conclude whether the payment is proper or improper without that documentation

Evaluation of corrective actions

The improper payments reported are made that the grantee level. The improper payments are not made at the agency level and largely do not represent monetary loss to the government. The majority are unknown payments for which the agency’s grantees are unable to provide sufficient support documentation to determine if the payment was proper or improper. Since the agency does not have direct control over the payments, it is implanting updated, comprehensive trainings to ensure the grantees have the requisite knowledge to appropriately support their payments. The agency has elevated the reduction of improper payments to be a key performance indicator in its strategic plan.

Future payment integrity outlook

The Senior Companion Program (SCP) has established a baseline.

The reduction target equals the estimated future IP and UP rates. The agency assumes flat funding for the current year +1 estimate, so the reduction target was used to calculate IP and UPs. The corrective actions implemented in FY22 that may reduce the future rates are targeting unknown payments, therefore that is where the reduction can be seen.

Out-Year improper payment and unknown payment projections and target
Current year +1 estimated future outlays $37.31 M
Current year +1 estimated future improper payments $1.5 M
Current year +1 estimated future unknown payments $7.9 M
Current year +1 estimated future improper payment and unknown payment rate 25.19 %
Current year +1 estimated future improper payment and unknown payment reduction target 1.0 %

The program's current year improper payment and unknown payment rate of 26.21 % has not been achieved with a balance of payment integrity risk and controls and does not represent the lowest rate that can be achieved without disproportionally increasing another risk, therefore it is not the tolerable rate.

As part of its strategic plan, AmeriCorps is prioritizing effective stewardship of federal resources. This goal includes the objective of reducing the agency’s improper payments via five-pronged approach. Via the strategic plan that agency is committing resources – human capital, internal controls, and information systems, to reduce improper payments.

AmeriCorps did not request resources.

Additional programmatic information

  • FY 2023 improper payment estimates

    Chart legend and breakdown

    Payment accuracy rate

    Improper payment rate

    Unknown payment rate


    Sampling & estimation methodology details

    Sampling timeframe:

    04/2022 - 03/2023


    Confidence interval:

    95% to <100%


    Margin of error:

    +/-6.6

  • Actions taken & planned to mitigate improper payments

    Mitigation strategy Description of the corrective action Completion date Status
    Training
    AmeriCorps had established a Payment Integrity Corrective Action Plan working group. Using improper and unknown payments information from AmeriCorps’ annual Payment Integrity Assessment, the working group has identified the root cause drivers behind the improper and unknown payments. Based on this information, the group has created resources and delivered training focused on the identified improper payment root cause drivers. Those trainings were available to grantees for FY 2023. The agency also provided resolution packets to grantees at the conclusion of the FY 2022 assessment, linking specific root cause drivers of improper payments to the corresponding applicable statute, regulation, and available training. This will continue for the FY 2023 assessment.
    FY2023 Q4
    Completed
    Training
    AmeriCorps plans to continue to provide training and resources to grantees to ensure proper utilization of grant funds. AmeriCorps has a Payment Integrity Corrective Action Plan working group that includes accountable program officials and key agency stakeholders. The working group has created training and resources targeted at the root cause drivers of improper payments which are available on the agency’s website or grantee training platform (LITMOS). The working group plans to analyze the FY 2023 improper payments root cause drivers and explore opportunities to create new resources or expand on those that currently exist in FY 2024.
    FY2024
    Planned

Overpayments

Overpayment root cause Overpayment amount
Amount of overpayments within the agency's control $0 M

AmeriCorps awards grants only to eligible recipients through the grant pre-award process and due diligence reviews. Once the agency obligates the grant funds, program participants and payment decisions are made at the grantee level. AmeriCorps does not review or approve grant expenses prior to payment. All tested payments are made outside the agency by grantees. No overpayments are made within the agency’s control in the programs being reported.
Overpayment root cause Overpayment amount
Amount of overpayments outside the agency's control $2.03 M
Amount of overpayments that occurred because the data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment does not exist $0.0 M
The amount of overpayments that occurred because of an inability to access the data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment $0.0 M
The amount of overpayments that occurred because of a failure to access data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment $2.03 M

Overpayment type Eligibility element/information needed Eligibility amount
Overpayments Outside Agency Control Financial $2.03 M

Underpayments

Underpayment root cause Underpayment amount
Amount of underpayments $0.05 M
The amount of underpayments that occurred because the data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment does not exist $0.0 M
The amount of underpayments that occurred because of an inability to access the data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment $0.0 M
The amount of underpayments that occurred because of a failure to access data/information needed to validate payment accuracy prior to making a payment $0.05 M

Eligibility element/information needed Eligibility amount
Financial $0.05 M

Mitigation strategies taken Mitigation strategies planned
Training Training

Technically improper payments

The amount of improper payments that were paid to the right recipient for the correct amount but were considered technically improper because of failure to follow statute or regulation $0.0 M

Additional information

$0.05 M

Unknown Payment Details

The AmeriCorps Payment Integrity Assessment uses documentation submitted by grantees to support the selected federal expenses charged against the grant. There are situations where the grantee is unable to provide the required documentation to support the payment or the documentation provided is insufficient. In these situations, had the grantee been able to provide the missing documentation or adequately documented information a determination regarding the payment as either proper or improper could have been made.

The amount of payments that could either be proper or improper but the agency is unable to determine whether they were proper or improper as a result of insufficient or lack of documentation is $3.31 M


Cause of insufficient or lack of documentation & why the documentation is needed for determination of payment type
Payment cause Amount Description of the documentation that was not provided and explanation of why the program is unable to conclude whether the payment is proper or improper without that documentation
Other $3.31 M The AmeriCorps Payment Integrity Assessment uses documentation submitted by grantees to support the selected federal expenses charged against the grant. There are situations where the grantee is unable to provide the required documentation to support the payment or the documentation provided is insufficient. In these situations, had the grantee been able to provide the missing documentation or adequately documented information a determination regarding the payment as either proper or improper could have been made. The specific documentation that is lacking includes: missing/incomplete National Service Criminal History Check information; missing or incomplete program participants income eligibility information, missing program participate timesheets; and missing program policy.

Mitigation strategies taken Mitigation strategies planned
Training Training

Evaluation of corrective actions

The agency is committed to the compliance with the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 as demonstrated by the agency elevating the reduction of improper payments to be a key performance indicator in its strategic plan.

The improper payments reported are made at the grantee level. The improper payments are not made at the agency level and largely do not represent a monetary loss to the government. The majority are unknown payments for which the agency’s grantees are unable to provide sufficient support documentation to determine if the payment was proper or improper. Since the agency does not have direct control over the payments, it has implemented updated training to ensure the grantees have the requisite knowledge to appropriately support their payments. The agency also provided resolution packets to grantees at the conclusion of the FY 2022 assessment, linking specific root cause drivers of improper payments to the corresponding applicable statute, regulation, and available training. This will continue for the FY 2023 assessment. In addition, AmeriCorps will assess the current training in the coming months to update as needed.

Future payment integrity outlook

The Senior Companion Program (SCP) has established a baseline.

The reduction target equals the estimated future IP and UP rates. The agency assumes flat funding for the current year +1 estimate, so the reduction target was used to calculate IP and UPs. The corrective actions developed in FY22, including enhanced trainings, may further reduce the future rates are targeting unknown payments, therefore that is where the reduction can be seen.

Out-Year improper payment and unknown payment projections and target
Current year +1 estimated future outlays $34.36 M
Current year +1 estimated future improper payments $1.9 M
Current year +1 estimated future unknown payments $3.13 M
Current year +1 estimated future improper payment and unknown payment rate 14.64 %
Current year +1 estimated future improper payment and unknown payment reduction target 1.0 %

The program's current year improper payment and unknown payment rate of 15.64 % has not been achieved with a balance of payment integrity risk and controls and does not represent the lowest rate that can be achieved without disproportionally increasing another risk, therefore it is not the tolerable rate.

As part of its strategic plan, AmeriCorps is prioritizing effective stewardship of federal resources. This goal includes the objective of reducing the agency’s improper payments via a five-pronged approach. The agency is committing resources to human capital, internal controls, and information systems to reduce improper payments.

AmeriCorps did not request additional resources in its most recent budget submission to reduce improper payment rates.

Additional programmatic information

The Senior Companion Program continues to demonstrate a downward trend in improper payment rates and amounts. The improper payment rate for FY 2023 is below the statutory threshold and the agency intends to move the program into Phase 1 in FY 2024.